New dental implant material

A new material for dental implants has been proposed by an expert research team, which could improve on the current options.

A group of experts from the Autonomous University of Baja California in eastern Mexico have designed a new material for dental implants which they are hoping will improve the field.

Using a mixture of polymer with ceramic and a light consistency, the team hopes this could replace the titanium screws in use at the moment, which can be susceptible to corrosion.

During testing, the group recreated the chewing process, in order to optimise performance, with the aim of ensuring the implant could withstand the stress of eating, as opposed to the actual bone structure.

With the new material posing an alternative to titanium corrosion, and helping protect the bone when chewing, it could be a serious consideration for the future of dental implants. The team also tried to take into consideration the affordability of these implants, as dental implants can already be an expensive, if worthwhile, investment.

Before officially introducing the new implants to the market, the team want to try and lower the stress levels even further by using mathematical formulas.

It has also been proposed that the implants be covered with vitamin D, as it can encourage the production of bone tissue around the implant, helping strengthen it even further, and reduce the risk of bone tissue loss, a problem occasionally encountered with dental implants.

Once all of the tests are finished, the results will be analysed alongside regular dental implants, and it will be determined if the new polymer implants are a viable alternative to the traditional titanium screw with a false tooth attached to the top. The aim of the research was to create an implant that could improve oral health as well as reducing costs.